Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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529. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of full-time and part-time staff assigned to the dedicated Brexit unit within his Department by staff grade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53629/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Following the UK referendum in June 2016, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine established a dedicated Brexit Co-ordination Unit within its EU & International Trade Division. This Unit now forms part of a new Brexit and International Trade Division. It comprises nine staff working full-time on the co-ordination of Brexit issues, including a full-time Head of Division, who in turn reports to an Assistant Secretary General deeply engaged in Brexit issues.  Its work is complementary to that of the Market Access Unit and that of other divisions in the department dealing with trade related issues.

The Unit co-ordinates the ongoing analysis, consultation and engagement activities being undertaken by a large number of administrative, technical and veterinary staff, across the Department. It also feeds into the whole-of-Government co-ordination being undertaken by the Department of the Taoiseach.

In overall terms, my Department is continuing to monitor the future workforce needs of the Department, and will be keeping resource allocations under close review as the negotiations proceed.